Renowned Poet Said Akl Passes Away at 102

Lebanese poet and writer Said Akl passed away at the age of 102, the National News Agency reported on Friday.

The funeral processions will be held on Tuesday at 11:30 am at the Saint George Cathedral in Downtown Beirut.

Akl was born in 1912 in the Bekaa town of Zahle.

He is considered one of the most important modern Lebanese poets. He was a staunch advocate of Lebanese identity and nationalism and the Lebanese language, designing a Latin-based "Lebanese alphabet" made up of 37 letters which he used to publish Yara (poetry) and Loubnan (newspaper).

He set up a prize in his name for outstanding talents. He has written many works on theology, patriotism, politics, philosophy, poetry and arts in general.

Rest in perfect peace Mr. Akl. It' is so sad, one by one Lebanon is losing its most important cultural foundations. Two days ago, our princess of hearts Sabah left us, before her the Cedar of Lebanon's mountains Wadih Safi left us, and before him, another great star of our little screens, Laila Karam. It's another sad day, because it's obvious that we are being left with truly mdiocre so-called singers like Haifa Wehbe, Ali El Dik, Nawal El Zoghbi and others not mentioned here. I think it's best we close our ears and just keep our eyes open for almost naked singers on stage.

Said Akl was no doubt an icon in the Lebanese poetry and culture. Through out his life he strongly advocated the Latin inscriptions instead of the conventional Arabic writings. His passing today will leave an irreplaceable void in the Lebanese intellectual life. RIP Mr. AKL.

Said Akl has passed away a lover spurned.
He loved Arabs, Islam, Syria and Palestine passionately. He gave them his soul in some of the most beautiful Arabic poems in the 20th century.
But after the defeats, cruelty, ignorance, violence, sectarianism and self-serving instincts of Arab politics, he felt betrayed.
He retreated to his Lebanese castle. He retreated behind high intellectual walls to protect himself and his broken heart. Lebanon became the promised land of his exodus from Arab affairs. He wanted to shield it from the disappointments, violence and barbarism of the Middle East.
Although he was lost and bitter and espoused an extreme form of Lebanese nationalism, he was never a sectarian.

He was a Lebanese icon, a heroic Arab bard who retreated from the broken and degenerate Arab polity, a Lebanese nationalist who saw his Lebanon crumble.
The truth of Said Akl was in his blue eyes. Through them you could see the purity of his romantic soul where absolutes reigned.
His perfectionist tendencies to idolize causes, ideas, people and leaders always led to disappointment but his prose was perfection and that never disappointed.

Said Akl has passed away a lover spurned.
He loved Arabs, Islam, Syria and Palestine passionately. He gave them his soul in some of the most beautiful Arabic poems in the 20th century.
But after the defeats, cruelty, ignorance, violence, sectarianism and self-serving instincts of Arab politics, he felt betrayed.
He retreated to his Lebanese castle. He retreated behind high intellectual walls to protect himself and his broken heart. Lebanon became the promised land of his exodus from Arab affairs. He wanted to shield it from the disappointments, violence and barbarism of the Middle East.
Although he was lost and bitter and espoused an extreme form of Lebanese nationalism, he was never a sectarian.

He was a Lebanese icon, a heroic Arab bard who retreated from the broken and degenerate Arab polity, a Lebanese nationalist who saw his Lebanon crumble.
The truth of Said Akl was in his blue eyes. Through them you could see the purity of his romantic soul where absolutes reigned.
His perfectionist tendencies to idolize causes, ideas, people and leaders always led him to disappointments but his verses were perfection and they will never disappoint.

Beethoven, Bach, Oum Koulthoum, Louis De Funes, John Wayne and Marlyn Monroe were Aounists, according to the Aoun cult worshippers.
They believe in the end of days, when Aoun will come back along with Jesus Christ and the Mehdi Al Mountazar, and will be reincarnated as President of Lebanon!